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Yakovlev Yak-1, Yak-3, Yak-7 and Yak-9 |
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It is said that 37,000 Yakovlev fighterswere produced during World War II,of which the vast majority were of theYakovlev Yak-9 that could outfight theGerman Bf 109G as early as the time ofthe Stalingrad campaign. Developedprogressively from the Yak-1 (whichfirst flew in January 1940), through theYak-TB which served from early 1942,the Yak-9 was first flown in its productionform in the summer of that year,returning a speed of 600 km/h (373mph). Numerous versions of this versatilefighter were developed, includingthe Yak-9T anti-tank fighter with 940-kW (1,260-hp) Klimov VK-105PF V-12engine and 37-mm hub-firing cannon,the Yak-9B fighter-bomber with provisionfor 400 kg (882 lb) of bombs, theYak-9D long-range fighter and theYak-9DD very long-range escortfighter, the latter being flown as escortfor USAAF bombers on shuttle raidsbetween the UK and the Soviet Unionlate in the war. The Yak-9U fighter,with 1231-kW (1,650-hp) VK-107A engineand a top speed of 700 km/h (435mph), was the final version to see combatduring the war and representedthe point at which Soviet technologymay be said to have finally caught upwith that of the West, and came to bemuch respected by the best Luftwaffepilots in their final generation of Bf109K and Fw 190D fighters. The Yak-3was perhaps the war's most manoeuvrablemonoplane fighter, and enteredservice in 1944 as a lightened derivativeof the Yak-1 series.SpecificationYakovlev Yak-9UType: single-seat fighterPowerplant: one 1231-kW (1,650-hp)VK-107A V-12 piston enginePerformance: maximum speed700 km/h (435 mph) at 5000 m(16,405 ft); climb to 5000 m (16,405 ft) in3.8 minutes; service ceiling 11900 m(39,040 ft); range 870 km (540 miles)Weights: empty 2575 kg (5,677 lb);normal take-off 3098 kg (6,830 ft)Dimensions: span 9.77 m (32 ft 0.6 in);length 8.55 m (28 ft 0.6 in); height2.44 m (8 ft 0 in); wing area 17,25 nf'(185.7 sq ft)Armament: one 23-mm hub-firing VYa-23V cannon and two 12.7-mm (0.5-in)UBS machine-guns, plus provision fortwo 100-kg (220-lb) bombs
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